Trash sweepers for use on paved surfaces and for use on grass or turf are already well known in the prior art. These prior sweepers employ sweeping brooms and reels and the like for sweeping the trash up from the ground and into a compartment in the sweeper. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,661,584 and 3,112,593 and 3,221,483 and 3,331,195 all show examples of mobile sweepers which have rotating brooms or reels which sweep the trash from the pavement or ground or the like. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 2,916,753 shows a sweeper having a plurality of reels which sweep trash up into a container.
The present invention is an improvement upon the prior art sweepers in that the present invention provides a sweeper which is very compact and which is versatile in that the sweeper can be used on paved surfaces and it can also be used on turf or grass without damaging the grass. Accordingly, in accomplishing this objective, the sweeper of this invention has sweeping reels which are particularly useful in sweeping paved surfaces and it also has a sweeping reel which is particularly useful in sweeping turf or grass, and the reels can be used either simultaneously or singly such that a surface can be swept with both types of reels or it can be swept with either type of reel while the other reel remains inactive. That is, a sweeping reel which is most efficient on paved surfaces is not at all appropriate for sweeping turf or grass since it would damage the grass, and the present invention provides a sweeper which has an arrangement wherein the reels can be used separately and without using the other reel, if and when desired.
Another object of this invention is to provide a mobile sweeper wherein the trash can be swept into one general compartment in the sweeper itself, and that one compartment can be supplied with trash by the two broom systems mentioned, but yet the trash can be emptied from the sweeper in one maneuver and into one pile of trash. In accomplishing this objective, certain of the sweeping reels can direct the trash to one portion of the trash compartment and others of the sweeping reels can direct the trash to another portion of the trash compartment, but both portions or compartment segments can be emptied at the same time and into one trash pile.
Another object of this invention is to provide a mobile and powered sweeper which has provision for controlling the dust commonly created in the sweeping action, and the dust and light dirt or debris is directed into a secondary trash compartment which is emptied along with the emptying of the main trash compartment, all in one maneuver of emptying, as mentioned above.
Still further, the present invention provides a mobile sweeper which has a trash compartment enclosing a bin which receives trash from one of the sweeping reels, and the bin also presents a top which receives trash from another of the sweeping reels, and one motion of opening the trash compartment and emptying the bin, both from its interior and on its top, can be achieved in one motion and with one powered mechanism in the nature of hydraulic equipment which is employed herein.
Still further, the present invention provides a mobile sweeper which has a trash compartment having an emptying opening which is covered by a closure which is under the control of powered mechanism and is moved to a position for opening the trash compartment and emptying the contents thereof. Further, the sweeper has powered mechanisms which control the rotation of the sweeper reels and which raise and lower them and which also control the opening and closing of the closure on the trash compartment. The powered mechanism includes sequentially operated controls which will place the sweeper reel into an inoperative position prior to opening the closure, and the sequential operation also finally performs the function of maneuvering the trash supporting members to empty them after the closure has been moved to an open position.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawings.